Self-starting device for explosive-engines.



A. DE GLAI R MONT. SELF STARTING DEVICE FOR EXPLOSIVE ENGINES. APPLIIGATION FILED FEB.8. 1912.

Patented Dec. 15, 1914.

"'HE NORRIS PETERS CO" PHGTU-LITHQ. WASHINGTON. D. C

onirnn srarns PA ENT OFFICE.

ADOLFO DE CLAIRMONT, or 'ronnnogorrro.

SELF-STARTING DEVICE non nxrnosrvnnnemns. i Specification of Letters Patent. Patented 15, Application filed February 8, 1912. Serial No. 676,387.

Devices for Explosive Engines,'of which the following is a specification.

and a gas such as acetylene My invention relates to self-starting devices for explosive engines, and more particularly to that type of self starting de vice wherein fluid is admitted from atanl; to the cylinder of the engine to operate the piston of the cylinder.

:The primary object of my invention is the provision of a construction of this character whereby a small portion of gas, such as acetylene gas, may be drawn into the manifold of the engine during the last few revolutions of the engine at the moment that the spark switch controlling the ignition devices is turned off, thus causing a combination of atmospheric air, gasolene vapor, gas to form an explosive mixture in the manifold and enter each of the explosion cylinders. By causing sucha combinationof elements to enter the cylinders of the engine, it is easy for the driver to start the engine by simply switching on the battery and igniting the peculiarly explosive mixture that was introduced into the manifold during the last few revolutions of the engine. I

A further object of the invention is to provide a device including a valve for controlling the passage of explosive fluid to the manifold as before stated, and provide in connection with the valve a handle so constructed that when released it will automatically shift to close the valve, thus obviating all danger of the valve being accidentally left open in case the driver should forget to shut off the valve.

A further object is to provide in connection with the valve and handle before described, means whereby the valve may be held open to permit the driver to crank the engine in case the car has lain idle for a number of hours and the cylinder is cool, or in case for any reason the engine will not start on the spark. .1 v

A further object is to provide in connection with the handle above referred to, a dial having thereon indicia indicating the various positions to be taken by the handle.

A further object is to provide means 'panying' drawings wherein:

leads from a gas tank 11 ger of injury to the engine and providing for the engine" drawing in justenough gas for the purpose of. compression and explok sion, thus obviating the extra strain onthe engine caused by the explosion of an ordinary mixture under pressure.

Other objects will appear in the course of the following'description.

' My invention is illustrated Figure 1 "s a view partly sectional of the in thfe accom forward part of a motor car equipped with o my improved self-starting device. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the valve casing ofthe self-starting device. Fig. 3 is asection on the line 33 of Fig. 2. Fig. t is a section en the line 4 -4 of Fig. 2. a

Corresponding and likeparts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the accompanyingdrawings by the same reference characters.

In the drawing, A designates a motor car of any suitable construction and provided with the dashboard 2.v The cylindersof the engine are designated 3. There may be of course as inanyicylinders as desired. I have illustrated however, only two cylinders,

these cylinders being connected by a manifold 4 with a carbureter 5. The particular 1 form of 'carbureteror, man fold forms no part of my invention.

' Mounted'upon the dashboardZis-a valve casing designated 6 and illustratedindetail in Figs. 2, 3 and 4:. This. valve. casing is preferably made of brass and is preferably circular inform, though not necessarily so. The valve casing is shown as formed with a base plate 7 having outwardly extending flanges 8 to which the body of the valve casing is attached- I Disposed within the valve casing 6. is a tapered barrel 9 connected at opposite points in its diameter with, inlet and outlet pipes 1 respectively.

which s shown as gas tank usually the ordinary acetylene This pipe 10 is found upon motor cars.

connected to the gas tank in any suitable or p The outlet pipe 12 exordinary manner.

Theinlet pipe designated 10 i tends out through the rear of the casing and connects to the manifold 4: in themanner shownfinliig. 1. Preferably the inlet pipe l0yalso {extends through the dashboard. 2

and then extends downward as illustrated in Fig. 1 to connect with the pipe leading from the gas tank 11. Thus these pipes 10 and 12 are fully protected by the hood which incloses the engine.

Disposed within the barrel 9 is a tapering valve plug 13 as illustrated in Figs. 3 and a formed with a transversely extending port or passageway 14 opening on diametrically opposite sides of the plug. Engaging the plug and drawing it to its seat is a set screw 15 which extends out through the valve casing, and carried upon this screw 15 which forms a spindle projecting from the valve and moving with it is an arm 16 forming a handle, this arm being extended beyond the screw 15,01 spindle so as to form a pointer 17. The other end of the arm opposite the pointer is extended beyond the valve casing and is provided with a weight 18. The handle 16 is so arranged with relation to the valve 9 that the handle extendsin the same direction as the passage 14 of the valve plug. It will be seen that the pipes 10 and 12 are horizontally arranged opposite each other, and that the normal position of the pointer or handle 16 is vertical and that therefore normally the passage 14 does not connect the pipes 10 and 12, but that when the handle 16 is rotated to a horizontal position as indicated in Fig. 4, then the port 14: connects the pipes 10 and 12 and gas may pass from the acetylene gas tank 11, through the valve 9 to the manifold a. It will also be noted that the weighted end 18 of the handle 16 tends to return the handle to its vertical position unless it is held in a horizontal position.

For the purpose of holding the arm 16 in its horizontal position, I provide coacting means disposed upon the handle and upon the valve casing 6 whereby the handle may be detachably engaged and supported in its horizontal position. The particular means shown by me comprises a spring 19 disposed within the valvecasing and having a projecting stud 20 at its end which extends out through an opening in the valve casing. The inner face of the arm or handle 16 is formed with a recess 21 with which the stud 20 is adapted to engage when the handle is turned to its horizontal position. This engagement however is so relatively light that a very slight manual movement of the handle will cause the release of the stud 20 and permit the handle to drop to its normal position.

For the purpose of holding the handle or arm 16 in its normal or vertical position, I also provide a spring 22 which is attached to the inside face of the valve casing and which carries at its end an outwardly projecting stud 23 which extends through the face of the valve casing and engages the shallow recess 21 previously referred to. The purpose of this detaining means last pointer is turned to described is simply to yieldably hold the handle in its vertical or normal position and thus prevent it from being oscillated by the jar and jolts incident to running the motor car to which the device is applied.

The face of the case 6 is preferably provided with indicia indicating, the positions to which the handle is to be moved in order to properly operate the device. a The word Closed is provided upon the face plate of the-casing 6 at the upper portion of the face plate, the pointer normally pointing to this word Closed. The face plate is provided on its left hand margin with the words Open for spark which are arranged adjacent to the projection of the stud 20. Opposite the words Open for spark the face plate of the casing is provided i u n wlth thenords Open for clanking. The pointer 17 carried upon the handle or arm 16 is designed to coact with these words to indicate the position of the valve within the casing. -Thus when the pointer 17 is turned to the word Closed, it means that the valve is in the position shown in Fig. 3 that is, that communication between the acetylene gas tank and the manifold a is entirelycut off. When the pointer is turned toward the words Open for cranking, it means that communication is established be tween the acetylene gas tank 11 and the manifold at. When the pointer 17 is turned to the words Open for spark, communication is also established between the gas tank 11 and the manifold 4.

It is to be particularly noted that when the pointer is turned to the words Open for spark, thehandle 16 is not supported in its horizontal position and that it must be held in this horizontal position. As soon as the handle is released, it will drop back to its vertical position and cut off communication between the acetylene gas tank and the engine cylinder. hen, however,

Open for cranking, then thehandle 16 is engaged with the stud 21 and the valve is held open until manually closed. The reason for this construction is as follows: When the operator intends to stop his engine and turns off the switch of the sparking devices, he turns the handle to a horizontal position with the pointer extending toward the words Open for spark. The last few revolutions of the engine before it stops therefore draws into the manifold a combination of atmospheric air, gasolene vapor and acetylene gas which forms an extremely explosive mixture. This explosive mixture enters the manifold and each of the gas cylinders. With this extremely explosive mixture in. the gas cylinders it is easy for the driver to start his engine again by simply switching on the battery. As soon as the engine stops, after having drawn in'the acetylene gas into the the vides a support for manifold, the operator releases the handle 16, whereupon the handle will drop to its vertical position with the pointer extending toward the word Closed. The apparatus is then ready for being started by simply switching in the ignition devices. Where the engine has lain idle for some time, however, and the cylinders as a consequence have gotten cold, it is necessary that a charge of fresh acetylene gas together with gasolene and air should enter the cylinders, and it is necessary that the valve 9 be held at such position as will permit the entrance of the fresh charge while the operator is cranking the engine, with the sparking devices however thrown out. Under these circumstances the operator turns the handle to such position that the pointer will extend toward the words Open for cranking, whereupon the stud2-3 will engage the handle and hold it in its horizontal position with the valve open. 'ihe operator then without turning on the switch of the ignition devices .cranks the engine or turns it over two or three times so as to draw in a fresh charge of'acetylene gas, air into the' cylinder. After the operator has cranked the engine, he manually actuates the handle 16 and returnsit to its closed position. Then by switching in the igniting mechanisinthe engine may be started by simply igniting the highly explosive gas in the cylinders.

By removing the set screw 15 which enters the spindle 15,-it is possible to take ed the needle and handle and pull out the valve 9 at 10, thus permittingthe valve to be cleaned and regulated.

It will be obvious that the casing 6 might be'dispensed with as the casing itself merely protects the vinclosed mechanism and prothe dial 6 which forms the outer face of the casing. By inclosing the parts within the casing however they are rendered free from accidental derangement.

In connection with this device, I provide a reducing valve designated 2&- which is at tacli'ed to the tank 11 whereby the pressure of the gas may be reduced to any desired extent. By means of my improved valve it is possible to introduce into a cylinder a proper amount of explosive gas by the action of the engine itself, the engine regulating the amount of gas so introduced so that only enough gas is introduced as to be sufficient for its purpose, whether it is combined with acetylene gas and gasolene, or whether it is pure acetylene gas, and this without any gine. The reason for this is that the cubical content of the engine cylinders is such that on the suction stroke of the engine, just enough gas will be taken up for the purpose, of compression and explosion.

gasolene and danger of injury to the en-.

other devices kiiown tome wherein an explosive gas is introduced direct.y into the cylinders of the engine, the additional gas so introduced is wasted, p

engine is already charged and loaded with inasmuch as the its explosive mixture or compound at the time that the explosive gas is introduced.

My 'selfstarting device is also particularly advantageous inasmuch as in starting the engine'by means thereof, there, is no strain upon the engine.=

I If the engine does not start on the. spark on account of stopping at a center ior for any other, reason, the engine will not startaon another cylinder. andback fire as frequently happens when gas is, introduced into all of the cylinders by means of connections extending directly to the cylinders. This back-fire causes considerable injury to the engine and strains the cylinder It also causes waste of gas.

My invention permits only just enough acetylene gas to enter the cylinders to start the same, and I have also found that my device makes it far easier to start on the spark than with the ordinary type of selfstarter, even though hours have passed after a car has come to'a standstill. lt ispossible with my device to start acar on a single turn of the crank on account of the fact that the acetylene gas drawn in andco n pressed on the one turn of the crank is far more expansive on account of being llllXGCl with gasolene than ifthis acetylene gas is introduced into an engine which already has received. its charge of gasolene and-air un-- der compression. @Vith my invention it is perfectly easy to star-ton the spark without failure and without danger .of back-fire, g

provided the engine is turned hover once or twice before turning on the spark.

It will of course be understood that l not wish to be limited to the precise details of the invention illustrated. Thus the form;

of the casing or dial over which the handle moves may be changed as desired. The exact form of the casing may be changed, and

it will be obvious that other forms of reducing valves may be introduced than that illustrated.

Whatl claim is:

1. Means for controllingthe passage of gas to an explosive engine,'includin g a .conductoi' for the gas, a rotatablevalve disposed in the conductor, a weighted handle on the valve, and a pointer movable with the valve. 2. Means for controlling the passage of explosive gas to an explosive engine, comprising a conductor, a rotatable valve in the conductor movable to cut off or establish communication through the conductor, a i

spindle on the valve, a weightedhandle extending-from the spindle, a pointer connected to the handle and means dis )OSBfllIl cona 7 l n U unction with thehandle ior yieldingly supieo porting the handle and valve in a position to permit the passage of gas.

3. Means for admitting explosive gas to an explosive engine, including an conductor, a rotatable valve in the conductor, a dial, a spindle on the valve projecting through the dial, a handle on the spindle, a pointer projecting fronithe handle and movableover the dial, and means on the dial yieldingly engaging the handle to hold it in an adjusted position.

i Means for admitting explosive gas to an explosive engine, comprising a conductor, a rotatable valve in the conductor having a diametrically extending passageway whereby said valve is rotatable in opposite directions communication through said conductor, a weighted handle on the valve normally holding the valve in position to disestablish said communication, and means engaging the handle for yieldingly'holding the valve in one of the positions where it establishes communication through said conductor.

5. The combination with the cylinder of a gas engine, a carburetor and a conductor leading from the carburetor to the cylinder, of a tank containing explosive gas, a pipe leading from the tank to said conductor, a rotatable valve in said pipe having a diametrically extending passage adapted when the valve is in one position to cut off communication through the pipe and when the valve "is in another position to establish said communication, a spindle on the valve, a weighted handle on the spindle, said handle extending parallel to the passage through the valve, and therefore holding the valve in a position to cut oil communication, and yielding means disposed in the path of the handle for supporting the handle against the force of gravity in position to bring the passage through the valve in alinement with said pipe.

O. Self-starting mechanism for explosive engines, including a conducting pipe leading from a source of gas, a rotatable valve within the pipe having a diametrical passageway, a dial, a handle on the valve extending parallel to the dial and parallel to the passageway through the valve, said handle being weighted, means yieldingly projected Gopies of this patent may be obtained for valve and through a halt circle to establish through the dial for holding the handle in a vertical position, and yielding means projected through the dial for holding the handle in one of its horizontal positions.

7. Self-starting mechanism for explosive engines, including a conductor leading from a source of gas supply, a rotatable valve mounted in the length of said conductor and having a diametrically extending passageway, a weighted handle on said valve extending at right angles to the axis of the parallel to the passageway through the valve, a dial over which said handle moves, a pointer car "ied by the handle, indications upon the dial designating a closed position for the handle and pointer, diametrically opposed designations on the dial for indicating positions of the pointer corresponding to the two positions wherein the valve will establish communication through the conductor, and means in conjunction with one of said indications on the dial for yieldingly supporting the handle and valve in position to establish communication through "the conductor.

8. In self-starting mechanism for explosive engines, a conductor, a rotatable valve disposed in the length of the conductor, a weighted handle projecting from said valve and having a socket formed in its inner face, and a resiliently projected stud yieldingly engaging the handle to hold it in a designated position.

9. Means for controlling the passage of explosive gas to an explosive engine comprising a conductor, a valve in the conductor movable to cut oil or establish communication through the conductor, a spindle on the valve, a handle extending from the spindle, a pointer connected to the handle, means yieldingly urging the valve toa closed position, and means disposed in conjunction with the handle for yieldingly supporting the handle and valve in a position to permit the passage of gas.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ADOLFOV DE CLAIRMONT. [1,. 5.]

Witnesses:

E. M. KEINATH, S. V. LANG.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). C. 

